Method of and means for frequency comparison and measurement



July 9, 1 c. w. HANSELL 2,207,540

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREQUENCY COMPARISON AND MEASUREMENT Original Filed Oct. 4, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet].

PHASE CON-5 TAN T FREOl/E/VC Y SOURCE VUZTMETER /55 WI-I- INVEN TOR C. W HIM/5E ATTORNEY July 9, 1940. A c. w. HANSELL METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREQUENCY COMPARISON AND MEASUREMENT Original Filed Oct. 4, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 DISCHARGfTI/BE m/pur F/POM age: a: rsc TO/P-S' 13a 1- I62 0F r/a.

Aualo TRANSFORMERS a? i {I OXIDE RECT/F/ERS TUFRE'QUENCY CORRECT/MGM I I L,

0. c. POWER some: I

whmhm $5 :SE ss INVEN TOR C. W HAN-SELL ATTORNEY July 9, 1940. c. w. HANSELL 2,207,540

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREQUENCY COMPARISON AND MEASUREMENT Original Filed Oct. '4, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet s 3 To F/PEQUEHCY con r1804. 54 MEHNS INPUT F/POM FHHSE' 0575c ro/as 130 z 132 OF F! q.

INVENTOR C. M. HANSELI 1 ATTORNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' amsmrm one/mozz- 4515 mm.

ATZTORNEY Q Liw INVENTOR C. W.

C. W. H-ANSELL Original Filed Oct. 4, 1933;

J40 Al CONSTANT July 9, 1940.

mmuavcy sou-05 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR FREQUENCY I COMPARISON AND MEASUREMENT Clarence W. Hansel], Port Jefferson, N. Y.', assigner to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware Original application bctober 4, 1933, Serial No.

692,092. Divided and this application February 1, 1-937, Serial No. 123,337

8 Claims. (Cl. l'l2 245) This application is a division of my copending application Serial #692,092 illed October 4, 1933, now Patent #2,095,980. 7'

For automatic frequency control it has been proposed heretofore to beat electrical current from a controllable frequency source against cur.- rent from a constant frequency source. The re' sultant frequency differentiated current resulting from the beating action is passed through two 1o filters in such a way that ii the current, and consequently the controllable frequency, is of correct value, no potential diflerence will arise across the filter circuits. However, if the beat current shifts in frequency, the potential differ- ,id ence across the filters is utilized to vary the frequency of the controllable oscillator so that the oscillator is shifted in frequency in 'such a way as to produce the desired beat frequency.

This system, however, sufiers from the dlsad- 20 vantage that it is liable to produce the correct beat frequency note when the controllable oscillator is either above or below the desired frequency by the same amount. Consequently, with such an arrangement, confusion is likely to ensue since an operator cannot readily tell, with such an arrangement, whether or not he is operating above or below his constant frequency comparing wave. Therefore, a further object of my present invention is to provide a frequency correcting and controlling system which shall have only one possible frequency of operation. i

In carrying out this angle of my present inventlon, I have discovered that the current obtained by beating waves of nearly the same frequency reverses in polarity or phase as the waves are passed through zerobeat. This reversal of phase of the current obtained by beating energies of nearly like frequency as they are passed through zero beat is utilized to adjust the frequency of 40 acontrollable oscillator so as to stabilize its frequency of operation to produce a highly constant frequency wave.

In connection with the frequency control of an oscillation generator, it is to be noted that a cer tain 'amount of leeway is permissible and, in fact, it is desirable that an oscillation generator be not corrected'in frequency for every slight change which may occur since this would tend to subject the correcting apparatus to incessant operation with its concomitant undue wear.. A further feature of my improved frequency controlling system resides in the provision of an arrangement which does not become operative & to exercise its frequency control until a drift in frequency of a predetermined amount has taken place.

Figure 1 is a schematic circuit diagram of a frequency control circuit which, for its operation, depends upon my novel teaching to the effect that 5 as two oscillators are passed through zero beat,

, there is a reversal in phase of the resulting beat.

Figure 4 is a modification of the arrangement of Figure 1. Figures la and 1b and Figures 2 and 3 are alternative circuits which may be used in the system illustrated in Figures 1 and 4.

Turning in greater detail to. Figure 1, Ihav provided a constant frequency electrical current source I22 which may be a piez'o-electric crystal controlled, and incidentally, temperature controlled oscillation generator so designed as to be substantially constant in frequency ofoperation. Since large power output is not essential the oscillator 822 may be relatively small and, con-- sequently, inexpensive; The output from the crystal controlled source I22 is fed through two separate circuits I25, I26, to the input electrodes of two vacuum tube power detectors or rectiflers I30, I32. The grids of tubes I30 and, I82 are biased as desired by source I3I connected between the grids and cathodes of said tubes. In one of the circuits I24, I26, and as illustrated, in circuit I28 ,'there is provided a phase shifter I36 which may be a tuned circuit, a radio goniometer or an artificial transmission line. Obviously, w

the constant frequency source I22 may include frequency multipliers 'so that the output frequency corresponds in frequency to the frequency at which it isdesired that the generator I of controllable frequency be operated;

Rather than use a phase shifter, such as that shown at I35, the two circuits I 24, I26 may be tuned by condensers I38, I40 in which case the phase shift may be obtained by simply; adjusting one circuit above and the other below the out- 0 put frequency so that one carries the current of leading phase and the other carries lagging current with respect to the output voltage of the source I22. In this case the circuit between the constant frequency'source I22 and detectors I44 5 and I32 may be as shown in Figure 4. The phase shift should preferably be made such that the current fed from circuits I24, I26 into the input circuits I42, I44 of the detectors differ by from 30 to degrees. a

To the detector input circuits I42, I44, there is also supplied from coils I48,- I48 connected to the controllable source I35 energy from, the controllable generator. The detectors I34, I32,

therefore, produce in the low. frequency transformers I50, I52, beats between energy from the constant frequency source I22 and the source I25 to be controlled. It is to be noted that source I25 is to be operated at substantially the same frequency as that of the output of the constant frequency controlling source I22.

The beat frequency outputs of the two detectors I20, I32, will have a phase relation corresponding to the difference in phase betw the currents in the two radiofrequency cir uits which couplesource I22 with the inputs to the two detectors I30, I32. If, for example, condensers I35, I40 are set to give a phase difference of 60 degrees between inputs from source I22 to the two detectors, then, in the outputs of the two detectors will appear beat frequency energy with a frequency equal to the difference between the frequencies of sources I22 and I55 and having a phase difference of 60 degrees.

The detectors, while shown of the bias type,

are preferably in practice made to have grid leak resistors and condensers so as to eliminate the'necessity of the grid biasing source. The anodes of detectors I30 and I52 are supplied with direct current from a source I53. The outputs of the detectors, namely, the energies appearing in the secondaries of. transformers I50, I52, are applied to the input or grid filament circuits of two vacuum tubes I54, I55 having a common output circuit including the electromagnetically operated relay system II 5, H5. Qirect current potential for the anodes of tubes,I54 and I55 is supplied by a source I55.

when the generator I25 of controllable frequency is operating at exactly the output frequency of source I22, the beats appearing in transformers I50, I52 will be of zero frequency and double the frequency of either of the sources I22, I35. The double frequency, however, .will be shunted around the transformers I50, I52 by the action of by-passing condensers I55, I and the switch member Ila-will notbe moved in either direction. However, with a shift in frequency of I25 awayfrom the output frequency of .controlling source I22 the direct plate currents of the two vacuum tubes I55, I54 will be unequal due to the phase relations existing between their grid voltages and thus any inequality in the plate currents is utilized to operate the relay system II5, III which in turn may operate an alarm, or operate a reversible motor for automatically correcting the frequency of the controllable source. The principle upon which the system of Figure 1 operates may briefly be sum- ;marized by stating that as the generator I passes through zero beat, the phase relationship of the resultant beat frequency energies appearing in transformers I52, I55, reverse or shift from one polarity to another. This phenomenon, namely, reversal in phase ofthe beat as the frequencies combined pass through zero beat, is

utilized to cause operation of the system to cause a return to zero beat condition and hence substantially identical frequency of operation of the controllable source with the controlling con-* stant frequency source. V

To understand the operation of the device shown in the figure, it should again be noted that the polarity of the beat frequency outputs from the two detectors is reversed as the transmitter frequency I25 is varied through zero beat withrespect to the output of the crystal unit; Consequently, if the transmitter frequency is above the crystal frequency, one of the vacuumtubes,

say I55, will have its grid swung positive in advance of tube I54 by an amount of time corresponding to the beat frequency and the phase relation between the two grid voltages. If -the transmitter frequency is below the crystal frequency by alike amount, the polarities are reversed and, consequently, the grid of I54 is the first to swing positive instead of the grid of vacuum tube I55.

Under these conditions, it is only necessary to provide some method for making the direct plate current of one 'vacuum tube greater than that of the other in accordance with the phase relations,

between their grid voltages. One method of doin this involves the use of a condenser and resistance such as are shown at I52. Assume that the time constant of the condenser and resistance I52 is such that beginning at, say cycles, the condenser begins to cause an appreciable smoothing out of the voltage variations across the resistance. Then the vacuum tube whose grid first swings positive will have grid rectification which will charge up the condenser and cause a negative potential toexist on the'other tube at the time when it swings most positive Assume. for example, that the phase relations between the two tubes is 69 degrees. Then if the excitation to I55 is leading in phase, I55 will have its grid potential positive once each cycle and I54 will follow at'60 degrees or one-sixth of a cycle later It will then be five-sixths of a cycle before I55 again swings positive. Consequently, the time for the condenser to lose its charge after I55 swings positive, is onlyone-fifth as great as the time allowed for the charge to leak of! during the time which elapses between I54 and I55 swinging positive. Consequently, tube I55 with its leading phase, will have an eifective bias potential less negative than I54 and its plate current will consequently be greater than I 54. If

the polarities are reversed, I54 will be closely followed by I55 and there will be a relatively long time interval between positive peaks on I55 and I54 and, consequently, I54 will have a lower average bias potential and its plate current will predominate. 4

Thus; it may be seen that the time discharge rate of the condenser and resistance I52 in combination with the phase relations in the excitation between the two vacuum tubes, will give a differential plate current variation as the transmitter frequency is varied through aero'beat with respect to the output of the crystal oscillator. If the beat frequency increases, the variations in potential across circuit I52 will tend to be I smoothed out and reduced to smaller and smaller values. This would result in the differential variation decreasing at relatively high audio fre- .quencies and would limitithe maximum operating band in which the tube currents could be used to indicate in whichdirection the transmitter had varied. The frequency band may be increased by using a second resistance condenser circuit I55Tconnected in the plate circuit of the tubes. This circuit maybe adjusted to have adifferent time constant than that of circuit I52. In this case it may beassumed that the-condenser of circuit I55 begins to cause alag'in the potential across the resistance at a pointwheredhe audio frequency is so high that circuit I52 is beginning to lose its effect. In other words, the operating rangesof. circuits I 52 and "late made to over-' lap in such a way as to obtain almost twice as large an operating band'as could be obtained with onecircuit.

To still further widen the operating band, ad-

ditional circuits of still difierent time constants such as I68, "6, may be serially connected in the common grid lead I12 and also in the plate circuit, in series with I66, if desired. In addition to the time constant circuits I62, I66, etc., the relay coil II6 may have considerable inductance and operate as an audio frequency auto trans-v former. This transformer action may be utilized to extend the differential action of the two tubes still further. the excitation to tube I56 leads I54 by 60 degrees. Then when tube I56 has its current increasing it will make the platev of I54 more positive, but this will not cause a current to flow in I54 because at this time its grid potential is still negative. However, at the time when the current'in I56'is decreasing this will make the plate potential of tube I55 lower at a time when its grid is positive and the plate current will, consequently, be less in I54 than it otherwise would have been. Thus, the action of the time constant circuits and the transformer actionof the relay all tend to cause the tube 'with the leading phase to have a higher plate current than the. other tube. If the transmitter frequency moves through zero beat in such a way as to make the excitation to I54 lead that of I56, then I54 will have a predominating plate current and the relay will be reversed.

In order that the operator may have an indicator to show which way the frequency is varying before the relay has operated, a double range direct current voltmeter I14 may be connected across the relay coil. The directioncf reading in this meter will then show whether the transmitterfrequency 'is above or below the correct value. If preferred, two separate direct current meters I16, I18 may be used in series with the plate circuits of the two vacuum tubes, and further a. bias source may be connected in series with lead I12 to make the tubes initially cut off. Deflection of either meter I16, I I3 will indicate leading phase applied to its corresponding vacuum tube.

The motion of the relay IIB under the control of tubes I56 and I56 will serve to close one contact or another, to operate an alarm system or to run a small motor in one direction or another to correct the transmitter frequency.

To summarize the operation of the frequency controlling arrangement illustrated in Figure 1, it is to be remembered that source I 35 is-to be controlled or operated within quite narrow limits, at the same frequency as the frequency of oscillation of source I22,, when both sources, namely, I 21 and I 35, are of the same frequency, there will be zero output from the detectors I33, I32 as a'result of which there is either no current of uniform current flow through 'the tubes I56,

I55 and the tongue H6 is not moved in either direction. Should generator I35 drift in frequency above that of source I22 the relative phases of the resultant beats from the two detectors will differ in one direction and should the generator I35 fall below in frequency with respect to the frequency of source I22, the phase of the resultant beats will difierjn the opposite. direction. That is, the polarity of the beat frequency output from the two detectors I30, I32 is reversed as the source I 35 passes through zero' r example, assume. that v both tubes I56, I54. A time later, when tube I54 is operated there will have been impressed, from the previous Ioperation of tube I56, a negative potential on the grid of tube I54 as a result of which with a continuation of the condition just assumed, the mean current flow through tube I 56 will be greater than that through tube I54. In other words, that tube of the two tubes I56, I54 which has the beat applied in leading phase, tends to rob the other tube of current causing the tube experiencing the leading phase excitation to draw a greater average current than the other tube. As shown in Figure 1, the greater current is caused to operate a relay tongue in one direction or another, in turn causing tuning means not shown to cause the generator of control lable frequency to be adjusted so as to return to a frequency corresponding exabtly with the frequency of the constant frequency source 122 and so that there is substantially zero beat between the control] ble source I35 and the controlling source I22 2. ain. v i

It will, of course,- be possible to make many modifications in the detail arrangements of Figure 1 for carrying out thisimportant aspect of my present invention. For example, the detector i tubes I30 and I32 may be of the grid leak type instead of the power type as shown. The output transformer for the detectors may be made of relatively low exciting reactance, if desired, so

- quency unless it varies more than 250 cycles from the correct value because this degree of control maybe suflcient for communication purposes and to attempt to hold the transmitter any closer would resultin unnecessary wear on the frequency correcting mechanism.

the condensers in the common grid circuit for Also, in the diagram I have shown batteries for current source and. probably an alternating current source would be used.

In practice, I may combine ,the functions-of tubes I 54, I56 with those of I30, I32 by applying the condenser-resistance circuits I10, I68, I62,

I66 and the relay coil I I6 to the grid bias' and anodesupply circuits of the detectortubes I36, I32, I have shown .two separate pairs of tubes in Figure 1, for carrying out the functions of radio frequency detection and audio phase detection, in order to make the scheme easier to comprehend. Obviously, combining both'functions in one pair of tubes will result in economy in equipment.

In place of two ordinary vacuum tubes such as I55 and I56, I might use vapor electric devices sold under the name of Thyratrons'o r Grid Glow Tubes. These devices, which are struck into action by grid excitation, but are extinguished only by reduction in plate voltage, are supplied with anode energy from a 60cyc1e source with circuits such that the first tube to have its grid swung positivewould become a short circuit 1 for a half cycle of the 60 cycle energy and would short circuit the anode supply of the lagging tube to prevent it breaking down at all. In this case,

10. power equipment to indicate phase relations. For

example, in power generating stations the tube circuits may be utilized in performing most of the functions ordinarilyperformed by synchroscopes, even including the closing of circuit breakers to connect generators to the power system at the instant the generators have the same phase as the power system. though not a very important one, of using vapor devices is that it would not be convenient to pro- 20 vide a voltmeter or other instruments to indicate to an operator the drift in frequency before the relay operated so that he might quickly make manual adjustments to prevent operation of the alarm or automatic correcting device.

In greater detail concerning Figure la, the 'beah to be compared are fed as beforeto the grids of vapor electric devices T1, T2. The tubes Tl, T2 are biased-by the C" battery arrangement shown-which may represent a source of rectified 30 alternating current. Whichever tube is struck by leading phase grid potentials will cause an are or glow discharge through either tube T1 or T2 and the voltage drop produced in the common plate resistance R. will prevent current flow 85 through the other tube as its grid swings positive a short time later. Itis to be noted that in the system of Figure 1a, alternating current potentia s are used for energizing the plate electrodes.

This is done, in order to periodically break the plate current through the tubes, otherwise, with direct current on the plates, and with one tube drawing current, that tube would no longer allow of desired operation as it would continue to keep the other tube extinguished even though, later on,

leading voltages were applied to the other tube.

Still another very useful and practical circuit to detect phase changes is illustrated in Figure 1b. In Figure 1b, I have shown a trippi circuit, described by J. L. Finch in his U. 8. Patent 1,844,950 which consists of a pair of multi-electrode vacuum tubes 'I'Ii, 'l' l, inter-linked by means of resistance coupling circuits R4, R5. R8. R1, in such a way that if either tube predominates in carrying plate current, it will cause the a other tube to cut off and its own current to be a maximum. If this condition of current through a single tube is disturbed by momentarily forcing current to flow in the tube which had cut off and at the same time decreasing the flow of current in the tube which had been carrying current the unbalance isreversed, that is, the action of the two tubes. is somewhat analogous to a snap switch the contacts of which can have only two definite positions and which is so designed that any intero5 mediate positions are unstable and cannot be held for any'appreciable time. displaced detector outputs to the two tubes, it is possible to cause these detector outputs to throw the unbalance of Kthe tripping/circuit backand 7o forth. The output of one transformer can be usedto cause one tube to take all the plate cur-' rent while the output of the second transformer can be used to cause the second tube to take all the plate current. The phase displaced output from the two preceding detec A disadvantage,

By applying the phase one tube and then the other to carry plate current, but the interval during which one tube draws current will be much greater than the interval during which the. other tube draws current, depending upon whether or not the transmitter 6 whose frequency is being monitored is above or below the frequency of the standard monitoring source. which the tubes carry current there will be an unbalance in average direct current which can 1 be utilized to operate the relay RY.

Due to the unbalance in time during In practice, it is very desirable that the tripping circuit be made inoperative unless there is an output from the two detectors and unless the frequency of this output is above a predetermined value. ing the two tripping tubes so highly that no plate current can flow in either of them and then .overcome this bias or a portion of it by means of another direct current voltage obtained by rectification of a portion of the detector outputs. Thus,

I have shown oxide rectiflers OR in the sketch to obtain the bucking voltage for the bias source. Since the amplitude of the bucking voltage is proportional to the amplitude of the audio output from the detectors the whole system is relatively insensitive to variations in volume of detector output. This is a desirable feature for practical applications where constant volume would be somewhat difflcult to obtain. In the arrangement which I have shown it is only necessary for the volume to be sufliciently high to cause the tripping circuit to function. If either the standard frequency source or the transmitter should fail the tripping tubes are immediately rendered in- 5 operative and no further changes are made in the adjustment of the transmitter frequency control equipment. Consequently, as soon as the failure or interruption of energy is corrected the transmitter .frequency' immediately comes again under 0 the control of the correcting device and in no case hasjbeen run to the extreme range permitted by the frequency control. Also, if the device is used to monitor the output from a keyed transmitter, its operation is not affected by the keying except, of course, that the relay may tend to make contact intermittently if the keying is quite slow.

I obtain such an action by normally blas- Further circuits for detecting the phase of the Turning to Figure .2 in greater detail, the in- .put to the tubes I54, I56 corresponding to similarly labeled tubes inFigure l, is derived from transformers I52, I58 in turn connected to detectors not shown corresponding to the detectors "8,182 of Figure 1, one of the inputs in 50 either transformer I52 or I58 is leadng in phase depending upon whether the frequency to be monitored is above or below the standard frequency from the frequency controlling source.

a The condenser resistance circuit I80 and resistors I84, I88 and the feedback through condensers I88, I80 together with tlidaction of transformers x I 92, I all tend to produce an unbalance in plate currents of'th'e two vacuum tubes I54, I56. The

current through nates, of course, input fromdzhe detector output transformers I58, 8 I52 reverses.

cause operation of the electromagnetic relay tors will cause first whose output leads I28 may be connected to any e or the other tube predomi- 7 hen the phase relations of the The unequal plate currents then i ace-1,540

suitable alarm or frequency correcting device such as a frequency correcting motor.

The transformers I92, I94 of Figure? are wound upon one core I95and so arranged that when current through the tube subjected to leading voltages is decreasing,v the decreasing current causes an induced electromotive force in the other coil, tending to reduce the plate voltage on the tube experiencing the lagging input voltage This tendsto further rob the lagging tube of current and accentuate the unbalance caused by the phase shift of the beat.

In the phase detector and indicating system of Figure 3, the inputs from two radio frequency detectors such as I 30, I32 of Figure 1. are fed into the transformers I50, I52 of Figure 3. As before the condenser-resistance combination I89 is charged first by that tube to which the leading phase currents are applied. The retained charge upon the condenser-resistance combination I80 therefore tends to reduce the current flow through the tube to which the beat by the decrease in currentis such as to reduce the voltage on the grid of the tube being subjected to the lagging beat. In this, way the unbalance due to the leading'beat is accentuated, causing-quicker and more positive operation of the alarm or frequency correcting device relay H6, H8. In the arrangement shown in Figure 3 the grid connections to the transformers I96, I98 may be reversed so that leading voltages applied to one tube in effect cause the other tube to draw current and, hence, operate electromagnetic relay IE6, H9.

I claim:

l. The method of comparing the relative frequency and phase of two alternating electrical currents of substantially the same frequency and of phases which may vary,-which includes the steps of, combining electrical currents characteristic of one of said alternating electrical currentswith phase displaced electrical currents characteristic of said other alternating electrical current to produce other phase displaced electrical currents, the relative phases of which other electrical currents reverse when the phase relation of said two alternating electrical currents changes and producing, when said other electrical currents exceed'a predetermined substantial frequency, additional currents the directions of flow of which are characteristic of the'relative phase of said other electrical currents and the intensities of which are characteristic of the rents and the intensities of which indicate the extent of the phase displacement of the electrical currents.

3. The method of comparing the relative phases and frequencies of two high frequency alternating electrical currents of substantially the same frequency, one of which currents may vary in phase and frequency, which includes the steps of, combining and rectifying currents characteristic of each of said electrical currents to produce two beat notes, the relative phases of which beat notes vary in accordance with changes in relative phase and frequency of the highfrequency alternating currents, said beat notes being produced only when the phase and frequency of said high frequency currents vary relative to each other by a substantial predetermined amount, producing two direct currents characteristic of the relative phases of said beat notes, and producing from said direct currents a resultant current, the direction of fiow of which is characteristic of the relative phases of said beat notes and the intensity of which is characteristic of the extent of phase displacement of said beat notes. 7

4. In a system for comparing the relative phase and frequency of two high frequency electrical currents of substantially equal frequency, the relative phase and frequency of which may vary, means for deriving from each of said currents, currents relatively displaced in phase, means for producing from said currents relatively displaced in phase a pair of phase displaced beat notes the relative phase displacement of which is characteristic of the relative phases of said high frequency currents, and means operative only after a drift in frequency between said high frequency currents of a substantial predetermined value takes place, for producing. indications of the relative phase dis placements of said high frequency currents.

5. In a system for producing indications of the phase and frequency of a first source of alternating electrical current relative to the phase and frequency of a second source of alternatin electrical current of known frequency which is of beat notes when the frequency of said beat notes exceedsa substantial value, and means for producing a resultant current from said two direct currents, the direction of flow of which is characteristic of the relative phases of said beat notes and the intensity of which is characteristic of the extent of phase deviation of said heat notes.

6. A system as recited in claim 5 including means for limiting the intensityof said direct currents to limit the indications produced by said resultant current so that they are linear for beat notes below a selected frequency and increase at a rate less than linearly for beat notesv above said selected value. I I

'7. In a system forcom'paring the phase and frequency of a first source of electrical currentv with the phase-and frequency of a second source phase relation of the electrical currents from said sources reverses, means for producing direct currents the directions of flow of which are charrent from a second source of substantially the acteristic of the phase relation of said heat notes. means for indicating the relative intensity of said direct currents to thereby indicate the relation of said phases, means for producing a resultant of said direct currents when the frequency of said beat notes exceeds a substantially predetermined substantial value, the direction of flow of which resultant isy characteristic of the phase relation of the saidbeat notes, means for limiting the intensity of said direct currents to thereby limit the intensity of said resultant when the frequency of said beatnotes exceed/a selected value, and means for producing indications of said resultant.

8. In asystem for comparing the frequency and phase of electrical current from a first source with the frequencydand phase of electrical cursame and known constant frequency, a pair of electron discharge devices each having a control grid, a cathode, and an anode, means for applying current from said first source, the frequency or which may vary, to the control grids of said tubes, means for applying current from said second source of current of known and substantially constantifrequency in phase displaced relation to the control grids of said tubes, means for biasing the control grids of said tubes relav.tive to the cathodes of said tubes by voltages such that said tubes operate as rectiflers, transformer means coupled to the anode electrodes of said .tubes, said transformer means being of low exof when said beat notes exceed a predetermined 99 selected frequency. 

